My Daily Web Browsing

Yesterday, Tuesday May 18, 2010 I tracked all of the web sites I visited, and attempted to keep track of how long I spent at each one, and it was a chore. Never before have I realized just how much time I spend online. Nor how many different sites I visit, often in quick succession as with the web comics and blogs I visit as I drink my first cup of Joe in the morning. Well, here goes, bear with me, and I am going to attempt to group sites by function in my daily life.

Social -
Facebook - I spent about an hour and a half here over the course of the entire day, I like the fact that it is clean and easy to find things. Don't like the privacy issues and the fact that they keep radically changing the layout of the things I use the most.

Twitter - Probably only spent half an hour here all day. I like the simplicity as compared to facebook, and the ability to customize your page is nice as well.

Yahoo (mail) - Perhaps a full 45 min checking my mail. Design wise, the site is VERY straight forward, which is nice, as it is easy to find what I am looking for.

Web Comics and Other Entertainment. -

All of these sites I visit because of the entertainment value of the content. Unless otherwise specified, I spend 5 min or less on each each day.

Explosm - web comic, don't like that I have to scroll and click to get to the newest strip.

XKCD - Web Comic. I like the simple layout, nothing except the comic and a couple of downplayed links. Also like the geeky/popculture/ funny nature of the comic its self.

SMBC - Web comic. Don't like that the header takes up most of the above the line space, forcing you to scroll for even the smallest strips.

Sleep Talking Man - Blog about a man nighttime ramblings. Funny stuff, pretty basic blogspot layout. Really like the audio clips!

LolCatz - I like cats, I like cuteness, I like checking out this site. I dont like the "too much ad info and such" problem, yet again.

Not Always Right - Stories from customer service, I've worked with the public, I think its funny. I also like that the important (to me) content is east to get to. Actually spent more like 10 min here, there were more new posts than usual.

MLIA - People post short stories about something that happened int their day. Probably spent 45 min here. the site itself is easy to access, and doesn't have too much extra in the way of what i am looking for.

Learn From My Fail - People post short, often humorous stories, of personal fails. Part of the Cheezburger network, similar design.

TFLN - People post texts that they sent or received that are unusual or humorous. I like the simplicity of access to the information. Probably spent 10 min here.

Other Sites -

Cefcu - I do my banking here, and enjoy the online banking features. I also like that logging into your account online is front and center on the home page. Spent a total of 5 min, doing my banking for the week.

Istockphoto - stock photo site. I like that low price point, the licensing options and the ease of use of the search. I also like that I can re-download images once I pay for them once. I was on this site for an hour, looking for images for a design I am doing for a client.

Thotbot - Site I use to look up information while playing WoW. I like the wealth of information, although the open format allows a lot of random chatter that often is not what I am looking for. I spent half an hour actively looking for information, although it was open for my entire gaming session.

Creative Thinking

I find it interesting that so many of the ways to cure creative block are more about centering yourself, and keeping yourself mentally and physically healthy. So often, for me anyway, creative block, especially on a deadline, simply produces more of the very feelings of anxiety that contribute to the block in the first place. Even though I know that fear and perfectionism play a huge part in creating block when it happens, it can still be hard to wrap my mind around the idea that those feeling are merely symptoms of a greater imbalance.It can also be hard, to take the time to take care of yourself properly, when on a deadline, or when inundated with negative feedback and more work than you can handle. However, if there is one thing that should be proven, it is better to take the time to be good to yourself, and to keep yourself centered, balanced, and healthy, than to spend hours staring at a blank peice of paper or computer monitor, wondering what your next move will be.

Recent Work # 3

This image was also a long exposure- two actually, layers on top of each other. I personally love the colors and the abstract feel of the finished image. Props to my sister for not freaking out that I was covertly taking pictures while we all waited for a table!

Recent Work # 2

This image is part of a study in long exposure techniques I completed for a digital photography class. I love this image, between the over exposure on the Spirit to the orange look the light gives the bridge, I just love this photo.

Recent Work # 1

This image is of a recent newspaper ad I did for a local nursing home. Over the last year I have done a couple of freelance projects, and this is the one that is actually finished right now. I enjoyed doing it, although I didn't enjoy being unable to edit some of the copy, but hey, gotta make the client happy right?

Web Advantages and Disadvatages

The web today had a wide array of advantages, that are somewhat tempered by the sometimes dangerous disadvantages also associated with Internet use. For instance it is easy to find just about anything you might want online, from design ideas to a recipe for your favorite cookies (advantage). However, it is equally easy top get "information overload" and have access to so much information that it is impossible to find what you were actually looking for in the beginning (disadvantage).

Another wonderful advantage of the connectivity afforded by the internet is the ability to communicate with anyone anytime. From this freedom springs Spam, the unwanted communication from people you don't know, often much more invasive and prevalent than junk mail in your physical inbox.

Another advantage of the internet, e-commerce, also breeds a disadvantage that keeps some people off the web entirely. My own grandmother wont have the internet in her house for fear of Identity Theft, after an instance of shopping on a less than trusted site and having her identity (and financial information) stolen. Luckily she realized what had happened early, after only one or two small withdrawals, and was able to stop the thieves in their tracks, but many people do not realize what has happened in such a timely fashion. Still, the ability to shop online, when done safely, has become a great convenience of modern life.

Other advantages include free entertainment, and online education, but are tempered by virus threats (from downloaded material) and pornography, an education no-one wants their children to receive.